Improvement in reed-organs



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. KENT, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN REED-ORGANS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 142,399, dated September 2, 1873 application filed May 3, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. KENT, of Bufl'alo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful 1mprovements in Beed'Organs, of which the following is a specification:

These inventions relate to reed-organs operated by exhaust and the invention consists, first, in two bellows and placing them vertic-ally on each side of the treadles; second, in the manner of blowing or working the bellows independent of the treadles; and, third, in hingin g the cover of the wind-chest to open it, and in pivoted or hinged clamps to securely fasten it down, all to be hereinafter back of the treadles, thereby shortening the play of the treadles, and cramping the feet and legs of the performer.

My object in dividing the bellows, or making two instead of one, is twofold: First, to make a greater space to set the treadles in by putting them further back, and thus relieve the player from a cramped position, and give greater play to the feet and knees; second, by making two bellows; each is attached to its own treadle, making them easier to blow, and above all giving a more equal flow of wind to the reeds.

In Fig.2, D is a disk or wheel pivoted to an upright piece, 0. dd are straps attached to the periphery of the wheel and to the bellows. A long rod or lever, E, is attached to the wheel D, as shown, or in any suitable manner, one end of the handle protruding from the case of the instrument. By this means both-the bellows can be blown by hand, and thereby relieve the performer from the treadle motion so disagreeable to many. This arrangement for blowing works entirely independently of the treadles, and neither one is affected by the other. Gin all the figures represents the wind-chest, or wind-chest cover; and f f are hinges attached to the back (see Fig. 2) to swing the cover open, as shown in Fig. 3; and g g represent two clamps pivoted or hinged to the frame-work, which fasten the two front ends or corners of the wind-chest securely down, each having a thumb-screw, h h. The object of pivotingthem is to swing them out clear of the cover and yet have them at hand when it is necessary to open the windohest to clean it and remove the dust from under the valves, repair broken springs, 860.

The object of hinging this wind-chest is to lessen the delay and labor of getting into it, or opening and shutting it.

The usual method of fastening the windehest in reedorgans is by the use of a great many screws; and to remove these takes con siderable time, and often requires that an instrument be sent many miles back to the maker to open it and get at a broken valve or remove an obstruction. By my simple means any one can open or close it in a minute, and clean it out as often as desired.

I claim 1. In a reed-organ, the two vertical bellows B B, in combination with the treadles O G, the straps a a, and springs 11 I), or their equivalents, when such parts are arranged to open ate as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a reed'organ, the diskwheel D, lever E, and straps d d, for blowing the bellows independently, and arranged to operate substantially in the manner specified.

3. In that class of reed-organs operated by an exhaust, the hinged top of the wind-chest or cover G, in combination with the swinging clamps g g, the thumbscrews hit to fasten and unfasten said top, substantially in the manner specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WM. J. KENT.

Witnesses:

J. R. DRAKE, J. O. WILsoN. 

